Attention Bodybuilding Mag. Editors-PLEASE just tell the TRUTH for a change!??

[Richard2004]

Once upon a time…from 1936 to 1986…there was a mainstream bodybuilding magazine called Iron Man (IM) owned and published by a man of real religious conviction, honesty, and integrity, named Peary Rader.  Now, at times, over that long 50 years of publishing IM, Peary got misled and believed some false claims by various individuals; BUT, when he found out the TRUTH he always apologized for misleading his vast following of growing, and admiring, readers, and then would set the facts straight!

Whereas, the other contemporary mainstream BB mag. writers of Peary Rader’s time, Bob Hoffman and Joe Weider, very apparently put profit margin well ahead of honesty/integrity, relatively speaking.

About 10-odd years ago, John Balik, who bought Iron Man from Peary Rader, and Steve Holman, one of IM’s excellent writers, had the courage to publish/write the following landmark article which can be found at the link…

http://www.trulyhuge.com/pro_bodybuilding.htm

Such a “naked truth” mag. article, however, was apparently (subsequently and uncomfortably) “’quickly swept under the rug”.  Rather, the BB food supplement manufacturers made a huge, on-going, advertising effort, through the pages of the mainstream BB mags., to try and convince their readers that their food supplements, being endorsed by paid “rubber stamp” famous pro. IFBB BBBers, could do the same for the “average joe’s” physique as the illegal BB steroids and growth hormone that these pro. BBers ACTUALLY are "juiced-to-the-gills" on!

Thus, blatantly ignoring (and deliberately failing to disclose) the FACT that it is rather the monstrous stacks of illegal and dangerous BB drugs these pro. IFBB BB "chemical monsters" take that was/is responsible for their freakish massive appearance!  But hey, it's alright to mislead the general public to justify a healthy bottom line!  Why, such misleading information and misleading claims, as provided in these mainsteam BB mags., is/are reminiscent of the “snake-oil” salesman tactics of the turn of the 2Oth century! 

Apparently, the mainstream BB mags., today, appear to be OWNED by the food supplement manufacturers/distributors and are thus afraid to counter/refute their misleading claims because of fear of being “blackballed” and losing advertising revenue.

Another issue…which mainstream BB mag. editor/writer will have the BALLS to come forth and publish the literal "laundry list" of all of the current, and former, pro. IFBB BBer's premature deaths, and their associated serious health problems experienced(ing) which were/are all very apparently illegal doping related!??

[gordiano]

[alexxx]

Is that Layne Norton?

[G o a t b o y]

This, coming from a fan of "female bodybuilders", who are more drug-dependant and freakish than even the male bodybuilders are!   

[davidpaul]

Is that Layne Norton?

Yeah that's Laym*e.

[xpac2]

Is that Layne Norton?

Monster nose

[Scooby]

Bodybuilding magazines will never print the truth about the real world of bodybuilding... because it would kill bodybuilding.  Granted it would make for a very good read... all the sex, drugs, hate, cheating spouses, spousal abuse, the illegal and questionable goings on in the private lives of the people appearing on their pages.  But it would also let the impressionable kids who read these publications in on what a future in bodybuilding might really be like... and even though they are naive, they are not dumb... no kid is going to pursue a future with no real income, health problems, and potential legal trouble along the way.

The supplement industry doesn't control the magazines... the magazines don't print the truth out of self-preservation.  If they turn off the next generation of bodybuilder wanna-be then they will be out of business because they won't have the next wave to bring into the sport and nurture along the way.  At least whey protein and creatine never caused diabetes, or put someone on the list for a kidney transplant.

Who tells the TRUTH? - Scooby Do!!!

[Richard2004]

If you want a good read, get Milo. They don't put any ads in it other than a couple of their own...and a small classified at the end.

Granted it is strongman/powerlifting/olympic weightlifting related, but good nonetheless: http://www.ironmind.com/ironcms/export/IronMind/MILO/Journal_Home.html

Garraeth, I've been subscribing to MILO since the Vol. 1, No.1, issue back in the early 90's with the pic. of Paul Anderson and Henry "Milo" Steinborn ( a couple of REAL ALL-NATURAL strongmen!) on the inaugural cover including an apparent copy of (or the original?) famous Cyr dumbbell.

Randall J. Strossen's philosophy on the application of weight-training is like mine, i.e. it's what you can DO with your body, rather than what it looks like, is what REALLY counts!  I was a competitive Olympic weightlifter for 6 years and a powerlifter for 2 years before turning to BB/martial-arts/running to try and maintain some level of life-long health/strength/athletic ability.

By the way, Strossen's book on application of the heavy breathing squat for weight gaining and basic strength building: Super Squats: How to Gain 30 lbs. of Muscle in 6 Weeks is a true classic!

[Van_Bilderass]

About 10-odd years ago, John Balik, who bought Iron Man from Peary Rader, and Steve Holman, one of IM’s excellent writers, had the courage to publish/write the following landmark article which can be found at the link…

http://www.trulyhuge.com/pro_bodybuilding.htm

Such a “naked truth” mag. article, however, was apparently (subsequently and uncomfortably) “’quickly swept under the rug”. 

First of all, that article was completely made up. It was just for shock value, not to inform anyone. Even if it was a real interview there is no accountability since it was anonymous - ie the dude could just have been lying and exaggerating for his own amusement (like pros are known to do).

WHAT has been swept under the rug? EVERYONE in bodybuilding knows how widespread drug use is. WE know the truth, isn't that enough?

[Richard2004]

This, coming from a fan of "female bodybuilders", who are more drug-dependant and freakish than even the male bodybuilders are!   

Now, now, Goatboy, I've stated many times in my posts that what I am a fan of is women who have CURVES built through training with weights (duhhh, uhhh, I believe that's called "bodybuilding"...BY DEFINITION…or I've been using the wrong terminology for the last 5 decades??!).  Let's see now, I guess using that definition of "being a bodybuilder" includes ALL competitive FBBers/Figure/Fitness women AND ALL recreational female WEIGHT-TRAINERS...doesn't it?!!

Many times in my posts I've expressed my preference for the female "look" of a Gladys Portugese, Marjo Selin, Rachel McLish, Cory Everson, Anja Langer, Sandy Riddell, Tonya Knight, and Raye Hollitt (for example, and in the prime-of-their competitive-BB-womanhood, of course).  Even though some of these women definitely doped!   Of course, I prefer their softer off-season look to their dehydrated pre-contest look.

If we know anything about competitive pro. (and even amateur) FBB/Figure/Fitness competition, we know that practically ALL of these competitors dope to some degree including steroids, GH, amphetamines and diuretics.  However, only a mere handful seem to have carried it to the virilization extreme.

But it is the favorite moronic past-time on Getbig to run threads like the never-ending “Would You Hit It?” series and post some usually ugly-in-the-face FBBer and bash her, or post similar pictures of FBBers; and if you support them in any way you are a "schmoe"!??  Of course, I guess a libel/character-defamation lawsuit of some unsolicited FBBer's photo will eventually end this degrading series of threads?!

And then of course, a pic. of  Renee Toney (is she/he a transsexual, transvestite, or what?) is eventually posted and all FBB supporters of even the Gladys Portugese “look” (one of the most beautiful competitive pro. IFBB FBBers EVER and a former Cosmopolitan cover girl!) are ignorantly stereotyped as preferring virilized women that all look like Renee Toney…what narrow-minded ignorance!!  Gee guys, has all that doping destroyed your reasoning/logic processes??!

Goatboy, to show you just how muddy and confusing the “female look/identity is” in amateur/competitive pro. BB/Figure/Fitness...I was training at Coffee’s gym in Atlanta, which is THE mecca of weight-training in the Atlanta area (Olympic weight-lifting, powerlifting, BB, etc.), and I recognized that one the pro. IFBB fitness competitors was working out there as well; and recalled that she had some really sexy pics. appear in a photo spread in either IM or MM recently. 

Now, believe me, this pro. IFBB Figure competitor in the flesh, was a REAL looker in the all-feminine, non-vascular,  curvaceous, figure/fitness sense…why, her pics. may have even been posted on Getbig!  Anyway, she was weight-training hard, but between sets I walked over, introduced myself, and complimented her appearance and told her that I saw her great recent IM/MM mag. photospread.  When she spoke and thanked me for the compliment, her very husky voice sounded like a frog croaking!??  Sort of ruined it all!! 

What a mess of muddied sexuality!!!   

[Richard2004]

First of all, that article was completely made up. It was just for shock value, not to inform anyone. Even if it was a real interview there is no accountability since it was anonymous - ie the dude could just have been lying and exaggerating for his own amusement (like pros are known to do).

WHAT has been swept under the rug? EVERYONE in bodybuilding knows how widespread drug use is. WE know the truth, isn't that enough?

Van, WE may know the truth, but there is a never-ending stream of newbies/beginners entering the lifestyle/self-discipline of weight-training who are misled and fleeced $$$ by the advertising lies and misinformation of the mainstream BB mags.

This is a serious lack of moral responsibility on the part of their editors, IMO!

[bmacsys]

I enjoyed Iron man back in the day. It had long and in depth articles which I enjoyed. The only color picture wan on the front cover. It was a very no frills magazine.

[Richard2004]

I enjoyed Iron man back in the day. It had long and in depth articles which I enjoyed. The only color picture wan on the front cover. It was a very no frills magazine.

Yes, and it was my reading and following the IM writings/advice of Peary Rader, with his emphasis on performing abbreviated training routines based on doing 20 reps. in the back squat with all the weight you could possibly handle in good form, that enabled me to gain muscular bwt., from 128 lbs. to 200 lbs., and move my full/parallel squat poundage from 40 lbs. x 20 reps. to 300 lbs.x 20 reps., all in a year-and-one-half, by age 16, w/o any drugs and wearing no more than a 4" wide lifting belt! 

What was Peary's advice(?)...take a back squat weight you know you can barely make ten reps. with...and somehow "gut-out" 20 reps., and then superset it with a set of breathing pullovers with a light weight!  In the intervening 50-odd years, this abbreviated w-t program still, arguably, is the best for the beginning weight-trainer, along with a careful, high-calorie, diet to gain muscular bodyweight, build core strength, and a quite a degree of stamina!!   

[Richard2004]

Joe, I sure hope things are going well with you, Lori, and the boys?!!

Hey Joe, since we are totally off of the subject of this thread anyway, how about posting some pics. of your "dyed-in-the-wool" FBB wife, Lori Cruz Hayden, to show all of the ignorant FBB haters what a competitive, international first-place amateur FBB contest winner, and IFBB pro. card qualifying, FBBer REALLY does, and should, look like (preferably off-season)?! 

[Richard2004]

First of all, that article was completely made up. It was just for shock value, not to inform anyone. Even if it was a real interview there is no accountability since it was anonymous - ie the dude could just have been lying and exaggerating for his own amusement (like pros are known to do).

Van, I doubt that the level of apparent integrity/sincerity of both IM's John Balik and Steve Holman would allow them to "make up" such an article?!  Sure wish we could get input from Balik/Holman on this?

Od course, if the BB being interviewed by Holman was actually a competing IFBB pro. BBer, at the time, it is well understandable why he would want to remain "anonymous"!

[Victor VonDoom]

Fools!  If you want truth upgrade your reading material!  Bah!

Doom disapproves.

[Richard2004]

Bodybuilding magazines will never print the truth about the real world of bodybuilding... because it would kill bodybuilding.  Granted it would make for a very good read... all the sex, drugs, hate, cheating spouses, spousal abuse, the illegal and questionable goings on in the private lives of the people appearing on their pages.  But it would also let the impressionable kids who read these publications in on what a future in bodybuilding might really be like... and even though they are naive, they are not dumb... no kid is going to pursue a future with no real income, health problems, and potential legal trouble along the way.

The supplement industry doesn't control the magazines... the magazines don't print the truth out of self-preservation.  If they turn off the next generation of bodybuilder wanna-be then they will be out of business because they won't have the next wave to bring into the sport and nurture along the way.  At least whey protein and creatine never caused diabetes, or put someone on the list for a kidney transplant.

Who tells the TRUTH? - Scooby Do!!!

Excellent post Scooby and very infomative; plus probably being the closest to the TRUTH that one can hope for under the "hush-hush" circumstances...so sad!

Apparently, the mainstream BB mags. and the supplement cos. are making big $$$ and the last thing they want to do is upset the current "status quo" by releasing negative information that would hurt their profit margins!?